University
by IshiIchiMari
Summary: (DISCONTINUED) Three years after not seeing or even speaking to anyone from his past, Ishida is now a successful medical student at Karakura U, University. But what happens when someone he least expected to show up, shows up—and not just for some friendly visit.
1. Chapter 1

University

Rated: M  
>Paring: Kurosaki IchigoIshida Uryῡ  
>Summary: Three years after not seeing or even speaking to anyone from his past, Ishida is now a successful medical student at Karakura U, University. But what happens when someone he least expected to show up, shows up—and not just for some friendly visit, but to stick around for a while. Perhaps even, forever.<p>

A/N: This entire fanfic is a super late Christmas present that is dedicated to my Ichigo, otherwise known as 'AJ'. This fanfics is University based and has some character traits such as the ones me and AJ Role play over on tumblr. I hope you like it, love. This is for you.

-X-

_Karakura High school, three years ago.  
><em>

"_What? No! He totally tripped!" An exasperated teen through his arms in the air as he flailed.  
><em>

"_No way, you did that on purpose and you know it, Asano!"Nudging at the teen's chest, a finger poked the shorter man as eyes narrowed.  
><em>

"_WHAT? Are you accusing me of ruining a certain someone's speech at the graduation, just because I don't like them?" Folding his arms as lips pursed and pouted dramatically, the boy stood up straight.  
><em>

"… _That's not what I said."  
><em>

"_Uh…." Looking away sheepishly, the brunette rubbed the back of his head as he looked away.  
><em>

_From afar, an orange haired teen shook his head in disapproval, his brows creasing into a deep scowl as he muttered softly to himself. Deciding not to get involved, even though he was angry with the one brunette as well, he merely rolled his shoulders and faced the other way. Pressing his hands into the pockets of his graduation gown, he made his way over to a bespectacled teen as a soft smile graced his features, softening his look dramatically. "Hey, Uryῡ!"  
><em>

_Glancing over his shoulder, raven strands were tucked behind a pale ear as the head of the student council looked over to the other graduate in his year that was speaking to him. His calm features slowly turned into ones that resembled annoyance as he let out a soft breath and turned to face the Substitute Shinigami. "What is it, Kurosaki?"  
><em>

_Smile fading slightly at the others' harsh tone, the teen shook his head as he shifted on his feet. "I was just coming to say hi, you know? We just graduated after all." Reaching forward to poke the other's shoulder, he tilted his head and furrowed his brows. "Besides, everyone's already started to split up and go their separate ways. Inoue at her bakery she started… Sado and his new pilot buddies, Rukia went back to the soul society…" Mumbling softly, he rubbed the back of his neck as he shrugged.  
><em>

"_And I suppose you're here to find comfort in knowing that I am going to be staying with you or something?" A manicured brow rose as the archer placed his hand on his hip. Staring at the other teen, blue irises waited impatiently for the other to answer.  
><em>

_Blinking, Ichigo stared for a moment before shaking his head. "N-No. Well, actually—I'm leaving too, but…" Giving the other a small smile, he took a step closer. "I just was going to wish you well and all that. And see that if you were staying here alone, that you were going to be okay." Shrugging slightly, the boy's smile softened and he watched the other—not really noticing that the man was not in the best of moods. "You know, because you won't be with any of us… And we're all friends right? We'll miss each other on some level."  
><em>

_Rolling his eyes, azure irises glared at the other. "Kurosaki, I don't need your 'sympathy' even if it's only because you think I do. Nor do I need to hear any 'tearful goodbyes' that may sputter from your useless mouth." Walking around the other, Ishida reached up to adjust his glasses as he nudged his shoulder against Ichigo's. _ _Furrowing his brows, Ichigo turned as his shoulder was hit lightly and followed after the other. "Hey! What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Rushing slightly to catch up with the raven haired teen, he reached down and gripped the other's wrist. "I'm trying to you know… Say… Say…"  
><em>

"_Good bye, Kurosaki? Say good bye?" Glaring over his shoulder, Ishida yanked his wrist from the others' grip as he turned to face the other. "I could care less if I ever see your Shinigami mug ever again, so I doubt its necessary for you to take up any more of my time with 'good byes'. Just leave Kurosaki, it's not like I'm going to miss you terribly and cry over the fact I never got a single 'good bye'." Turning around he folded his arms, shaking his head lightly. Posture stiff as the archer glared at nothing in particular, he muttered a few more words as his glasses slipped down his nose. "I already told you that I hate Shinigami, so you are no exception to this rule. Leave."  
><em>

_Staring, slightly bewildered at the other's harsh words, Ichigo took a step back and slowly shook his head as well. "Wha—I—" Scowling deeply, Ichigo threw up his hand as he began to stomp off in the other direction. "Fine, whatever! I was just saying good bye because I was going to miss YOU. Not the other way around—as much as I thought you cared about me as well, as your friend." Frowning, the teen shoved his hands deeply into his pockets as he walked away. "Good bye, Ishida… See you—when I see you…"  
><em>

_**BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP**  
><em>

Gasping, a pale teen with jet black hair quickly sat up on his bed, his hair falling over the right side of his face as he leaned forward. Hearing the buzzing of his alarm clock, Ishida Uryῡ, a twenty year old University student reached to his left to hit the top of the alarm clock, letting out a soft breath as the sound stopped. Running a hand through his hair, he watched as his roommate mumbled and shifted in his sleep and rolled his eyes, nudging the others shoulder. "If you're leaving, why the hell are you in my bed?" Reaching towards his dresser, the archer placed his glasses on his face as he threw his legs over the side of the bed. Leaning forward to turn on the light in the bedroom, he blinked as two strong arms wrapped around his waist and furrowed his brows.

"C'mon, love." A sleepy voice drawled out as the body shifted behind him. "You know I'm moving out today, how about we sleep in a bit longer and then we have a quickie… You know, for goodtime sake."

Glaring slightly, Uryῡ hated how he could almost hear the slight smugness and the smirk in the others voice as he spoke. "For one, your grammar is atrocious. Another, we have never actually 'slept together', only slight touching and a couple of make out sessions. Also, why on earth would I let you sleep with me, when we just broke out and I am kicking you out of my dorm, today?" Shaking the arms off of his waist, he stood slowly and made his way towards the closet—turning on every light to make it as bright as possible in the room as he moved.

Pouting slightly, the male sat up in the bed slowly before beginning to stand. "So? What's that gotta do with anythin'?" His voice slurring together in his drowsiness, he moved once more to wrap his arms around a slim frame as he slid his hand down the other's chest. "Come on, Uryῡ…" Pressing his lips to the teen's neck, he grinded his hips into the smaller teen's backside.

Feeling the arms around him once more, Ishida opened his mouth to retaliate and argue, only to feel the other kiss his neck and grind against him. Blushing slightly, Uryῡ gritted his teeth as he looked over his shoulder. Turning himself in the man's arms, so that he was no longer facing the opposite direction, Ishida faced the taller man as he spoke and pushed him away roughly with his hands. "I said no, Aoshi and that's final." Walking around the other man, Ishida opened his dresser drawer and reached in, pulling out a long, white-sleeved shirt as he searched for an outfit to wear.

Not pleased with the other's answer, Aoshi stepped forward and grasped Ishida's wrist tightly, turning him around before pulling him forward—looming down over the shorter man. "I said, one more time… We will go all the way this time. Make our last night together… Memorable." Adding emphasis to his words, the man allowed his knuckles to smooth over the other's cheek before pushing Ishida back and onto the bed roughly as he began to crawl in, over top of him.

Looking up at the other in disgust, Ishida was about to protest, only to be thrown down and onto his mattress. As the other moved to get on the bed over top of him, the archer had enough of being the 'weaker boyfriend' and for once, kicked his leg upwards—hitting the man square in the face with his foot. "I said no!" Sitting up quickly, he watched as the other stumbled backwards, gripping his nose as it began to bleed. Reaching up to push up his glasses, he glared down at the other before pressing his foot to the man's shoulder, holding his leg up high as he pushed the man to the wall. "Get your things, and get out." Waiting until he saw the quick and curt nod, he retracted his leg and watched as the other quickly ran away, gathering his clothes as he went.

Placing his foot onto the floor, he slowly moved back to his stand to pick up the shirt he had grasped, taking out a pair of underwear as well as he grabbed the rest of his outfit for the day. With a soft sigh, the Quincy frowned and adjusted the frames on his face, walking into the bathroom. By this rate, he was going to be late for his classes—and that was something he would not allow. Despite the circumstances that may have happened. Locking the bathroom door behind him as he entered, he made his way to have a shower and change, before heading to his selected courses for the new year.

-X-

A smile slowly lit a tall man's face as he stepped out of a cab in Karakura town. Ducking his head back in, he handed the cab driver his owed money before walking around to the opened trunk to pick up his bags. Placing them on the ground, he took out his last item and smiled brighter at his guitar case as he strapped it over his shoulder and shut the trunk before leaning down to pick up his bags.

It had been three years since the orange haired boy had been in his home town—after leaving the day of graduation from high school, he had made his way to America to become a musician, only to change his mind after his little sister got sick—and traveled back to Japan. Becoming a doctor was his wish now, and he knew that even though three years were wasted on music (which had previously been his passion) he knew as well, that family and their well being were way more important. As well, he knew that there was no better school than Karakura U, for becoming a doctor.

Looking over his shoulder as the cab drove off behind him, he began his way up the steps that led to the University's grounds as he adjusted the strap on his shoulder. Glancing around at all the students that he had yet to meet, he smiled and looked ahead of himself at the sheets on the door. Stepping up to one, he looked around for the list of 'arrival students' – glancing under the 'K' section for his last name. "Kurosaki Ichigo…" He spoke his own name aloud as he found it on the list, and used his index finger to point it out and trail it over the piece of paper to his room number. "Oh… Seems like I'm taking over a room when the guy moves out today." Mumbling to himself, he shrugged and opened the doors, walking in as he made his way to the elevator. Pressing the button, he hummed softly to himself and waited until the door opened.

Stepping in the one side as the doors had opened, Ichigo didn't notice the teen on the other side as he exited from the other elevator doors. Nor did he notice the adjusting of familiar glasses as he made his way to his own, new, dorm room.

Blinking as he stepped out of his elevator, Ishida glanced over in time to see the doors adjacent to him close. Shrugging slightly, he could have sworn he saw a patch of familiar hair, but ignored it. Looking back down at the book he had opened in his hand, his other hand holding onto a bag which held his notebooks in it for class, he made his way to his fist period—biology. He didn't see why he still had to take a science course to become a doctor, but he had been told to take it instead of his spare, and it would boost his chances of being taken on as an apprentice by an elder student. Not one to simply brush away such an offer, he had taken it almost too excitedly as he had signed up for his classes this year.

Walking down the long hallway, Ishida lifted his hand to wave to a passing student that he had tutored the previous year and smiled as the man held up a piece of paper—showing of his A mark average. Pleased with himself for teaching the delinquent, more so than pleased with the man's mark—his smile brightened and he looked back down at his book as he walked into his classroom. Sitting down in his usual spot at the front, Ishida placed his book aside as he took out his notebooks. Watching as the teacher entered the room out of his peripheral vision, the Quincy opened his notebook to the numbered page he had sectioned off from yesterday—knowing full well what lesson would be taught this year, as he sat up in his chair. Taking out a lead pencil, Uryῡ sighed softly as he looked down at his written words that were formed in perfect kanji on his page. A little distraught by his dream this morning, he couldn't help but wonder why that exact moment in time had crossed his mind—especially today of all days. It wasn't that he thought of that event often, it usually only popped up in his mind when he were about to have a stressful, or irregular day. Mentally groaning at that thought, he glanced up and watched as the teacher's hand scribbled out nonsense he already knew on the chalkboard.

Leaning back slightly, Uryῡ looked down at his blank page as he tapped his pencil against the white area, in between the lines. The only reason that those dreams led up to a bad day, was probably because he felt bad about the words he had said to the other, back then. He was only irritated over the trip that had caused his tumble on the stage during his acceptance speech—and he was taking it out on those around him. Of course he knew it wasn't Ichigo's fault, and that it was that idiotic Asano Keigo, but he couldn't control his embarrassment, which made the situation worse. Sighing softly, he placed the side of his head in his hand as he began to doodle on his paper, wondering what happened to the other after he walked away, anyways. He knew Ichigo was mad at him—and that was very rare for the teen that seemed to like everyone. Kurosaki had shown hurt in his eyes, at Ishida's harsh words and had left soon after on a plane to America—where Ishida would never see him again, not after these three years, so far. It was a careless mistake anyone could have made, but he supposed since he was always cold over the years—being the only Quincy, surrounded by Shinigami; that the other had taken his words quite seriously, rather than in the heat of the moment, sort of thing.

It was rare for Ishida to feel guilt, but he did. And every time he re-experienced that dream, he had a terrible day because of it; these thoughts. Shaking his head lightly, he leaned forward on his desk, listening to the light thrum of his sensei's voice as he started his lesson, without writing things on the board. He supposed he should have been paying attention, but for some reason—throughout his day, he would always be a little off due to his mind wandering over the same thing over and over again. Chewing on the inside of his cheek, Uryῡ glanced up to see the professor sitting down and taking a sip of his mug. Blinking in confusion, he looked to the side to see the students packing up and his eyes widened before darting to the clock.

"Nine forty-five?" Staring in disbelief, Ishida quickly began to pack up his books as he stood. Had he really drifted off for the entire period? He had never done that before. Sure, he had gotten distracted in each class, but usually it was an estimated ten minutes before he could concentrate on the rest of the class. The only reason that it happened every period, was because he allowed his mind to wander as he walked in the halls, in-between classes.

Hiking his bag over his shoulder and around his head, he allowed it to fall at his hip as he placed his hands at his sides. He wondered if he should just use the student pass he had, to get himself out of the rest of the days classes… He had obtained it last year, for having a perfect attendance record, along with straight A marks for three whole years. It was a pass allowing him out of a day's worth of classes—without it being put on his record at all. He supposed he should use it for a sick day, or something of the sort; but he found himself simply unable to concentrate at the moment. As well, he knew that he did not get sick often—and when he did, it was nothing larger than a small cold.

Deciding to punch out, he made his way to the office as he reached into his bag for the slip. Waiting in line for around ten minutes, he smiled sweetly to the secretary as he adjusted his glasses and handed her the signed sheet of paper. She looked up at him in mild surprise, and he gave a soft chuckle as well as he shrugged. Every teacher and staff member in the school knew him, so she was most likely shocked that he would actually use the pass, rather than give it back. Tapping his foot lightly as he watched her type the information into her computer, he thanked her for her time as she handed him back the used and signed off slip, before making his way out of the office doors and towards the elevators. Going through his head for a list of things he could do throughout his day off, that wouldn't go to waste if the thoughts re-appeared, he decided on sewing something for his teacher for his third period class. It was her birthday in less than a week, and he wanted to make her something special. She was the very same teacher who had recommended the pass to the principal, along with giving him younger students to practice his teachings and help them pass their courses. He was very grateful towards her, and he knew she deserved something nice on her special day.

Looking up as the elevator doors opened, he waited for the others to step out of them before entering them, himself. Pressing the button which would lead him to the fifth floor, he leaned against the side railing as he waited for the doors to shut. Tapping his fingers along the bars as he gripped them gently, his eyes followed the buttons as they lit up with each floor they approached. Vaguely aware that he was humming quietly, he closed his eyes and listened to the silent music he could hear, coming from outside of the elevator. Ishida didn't know much about music, but the soft sounds sounded like they were coming from a fender acoustic. He knew that instrument in particular, because someone he knew in high school, had played that instrument as well. He couldn't quite recall who, but for some reason, his mind shouted in the back of his head—that he was an idiot for not remembering.

Smiling softly as the elevator doors opened, Ishida opened his eyes and stepped out of the small area. Stepping into the dorm room hallways, he took a left and turned a corner. He lived in the far north section of this floor, in a corner room at the very end of a hall. It was the largest room, and he wasn't going to accept it at first—but he knew he would be getting a roommate and decided to give in, his first year. He didn't know that an asshole of a man that was previously known as his boyfriend, would end up being his roommate. Sure, he had been happy at first, but after time progressed and the man became forceful, he had enough. Shaking his head as he stepped up to the door, he blinked as the sounds he had heard from earlier continued, in front of him. And then he remembered—

_That's right. I am getting a new roommate now, aren't I? _He hadn't expected to get a replacement roommate so quickly_. _Smiling at the fact that the other idiot had already packed his bags and left— he reached into his pocket for his key and shoved it into the lock. Turning it to the right, he listened for the click before opening the door and stepping inside. Glancing down to see a pair of shoes neatly placed beside his own, indoor ones—he let out a thankful sigh that this person was organized, rather than a messy imbecile. Removing his bag from his shoulder, he shut the door behind him as he hung his bag on the rack. Taking off his shoes, he neatly placed them on the other side of the new ones as he stepped into the kitchen and put his key in a small pot. Walking back out of the kitchen, he made his way into the living room to see a small duffle bag placed neatly on the corner of the couch. Eyeing the item silently, he stepped into his room as he looked at the door beside his own. Was the person in there? Who were they? He wondered what type of person they were, and if they were aware of the campus rules.

Shrugging lightly, he entered his room and shut the door, in time to hear the other one open as well and let out a small chuckle, stepping up to his bed. He decided that he could gather his sewing supplies and sketch pad, to bring into the living room to design his professor's present, as he met his new roommate. Looking for the light blue box that he kept everything in, he walked over to it and reached into the closet behind the large item. Grabbing his opened sketch pad that had a pencil still on top, he blinked down at the drawing of the simple summer dress and he smiled to himself. _So it seems my own mind was ahead of me, yesterday. _Chuckling at the drawing that he drew the previous day, he decided that he would simply make that as he set the book on top of his box. Picking up the large item, he made his way to his door as he reached around with his left hand to open it. Adjusting the box in his grip he closed his eyes as his glasses slid down his nose and he made his way into the living room. Hearing the guitar sounds from in the kitchen, he placed his box on the couch as he opened the double doors and spoke. "I suppose you're my new roommate?" Hearing the strumming come to a halt, he took the hint that the other had heard him, and sat beside his box. Removing some light pink fabric, along with some white lace for a trim, he listened to the kitchen door as it opened.

Slightly confused as to why he had yet to get an answer, even a simple 'yes' for that matter—Ishida frowned slightly and reached up to adjust his glasses. Perhaps his new roommate was a shy one? A foreigner? New to Japan? Whatever it was, he was sure he could get the man to soften up. After all, Ishida only seemed cold—in reality, he was a nice guy.

Slowly, footsteps could be heard coming out of the kitchen as a man held onto the side of his guitar. The strap around his neck loose as his left hand held onto the neck of the guitar, the man shifted it in his grasp as he peeked out of the kitchen. Eyes widening, he stepped out and into the open slowly as he stared. "Uryῡ?"

Blinking as he heard his name—Ishida's eyes widened at that familiar voice. No—it couldn't be, could it? Just realizing now, that he could feel the other's strong spiritual pressure, the Quincy swallowed as sweat began to roll down his temple. Azure coloured irises looking up slowly, his hands still with a needle and fabric within their grasp—the archer looked up in horror as his eyes met brightly coloured hair. "K—Kurosaki?" Seeing the guitar in his hand was almost a flashback itself. He KNEW that sound was way too familiar—along with that dream, and that glimpse he thought he had saw this morning, coming off the elevator. That dream was a sign, a warning of sorts—almost as if his mind knew before he did. Standing abruptly, the material fell off of his lap and onto the floor as his fingertips pinched the needle in his hand. Almost dreading the answer as he spoke the next question, he stared into chocolate coloured irises as he spoke. "What are you doing here?"

Ichigo could feel his hear pulse beneath his rib cage, as he stared at the raven haired man before him. Hands relaxing on the instrument he held, he slowly released the item and allowed it to swing around and drape over his back. Swallowing slightly as he gazed at the Quincy, he took a step forward as he felt his mouth go dry. "I, uh…" Reaching up to run his hand through orange spikes, his brows furrowed into a light scowl before his features relaxed. "I go to school here now… I'm new."

Staring at the other in front of him, Ishida could almost hear himself groan as he resisted the urge to do so. He wasn't quite sure if he was relieved to see the other, or absolutely irritated. How could this of happened? He distinctively remembered the other leaving for America, to never come back. Did he change his mind? Was he seeking the archer out? And most importantly… Was he still mad at Uryῡ for what he had said, all those years ago? With all these thoughts running through his mind, Ishida allowed his eyes to close as he relaxed his hands. Dropping the needle onto the couch, he allowed his body to still as he slowly took a step forward and spoke as he opened his eyes.

"Kurosaki… We need to talk."

-X-

To be continued.


	2. Chapter 2

University, Chapter 2.

A/N: Chapter two, for this fic. For the lovely AJ-Chan. It's not so interesting in the beginning, but the ending is worth it. Do enjoy.

-X-

Ichigo sat silently on the couch as he began to strum his guitar strings. Humming softly as he placed his hand higher up on the neck of the instrument, he watched as the Quincy began to pace around the living room as he mumbled softly to himself. Shaking his head lightly, he tapped his foot on the ground, almost like a stereotypical musician as he let out a soft sigh. He didn't understand why the other was reacting the way he was right now. He didn't see the big deal in him becoming Ishida's roommate, nor did he see any problems in him being so. However, after Ishida had said they had to talk, all he did was throw his hands up in the air and start pacing around the room as he began to talk to himself—almost as if he were still deciding on what to say, exactly. And, to be quite Frank—Ichigo was very confused and decided to sit down and practice a new song he had been writing. Even though he was giving up his dream of becoming a musician—it didn't mean he had to let the hobby part of it die as well.

Ishida continued to pace throughout the living room as he closed his eyes. Brows creasing as he let out a breath, he stopped walking for a moment, only to open his eyes—glance at the other, and resume his pacing. He wasn't sure why he was having so much trouble communicating with the other, or even bringing up casual conversation. He hadn't even asked the simple 'what are you doing here?' with the 'why are you here?' and ask for more detailed answers. Perhaps it was because of that dream this morning… That was really on his mind. Maybe he really wished to talk about that, but a simple 'Oh, you know three years ago? Well yeah, I'm going to talk about that' wouldn't suffice. The other would either be confused, not want to talk about it, or be mad about that situation. Also, the usual calm and collected Quincy was unsure if he was prepared for how the other would react or not…

Watching as the other stilled and simply stood, he raised a brow. The other probably didn't notice, but he was also talking to himself again. Shrugging his shoulders, Ichigo reached into one of his bags that was beside him on the couch, and picked out a notebook as he placed it on the table in front of him. Squinting his eyes, his brows furrowed as he attempted to write some lyrics on a sheet of the paper—only not to be able to see them clearly. Sitting up, Ichigo shifted and reached into his back pocket; taking out a small case as he opened it and removed a simple pair of black-framed glasses. Slipping them on, over his nose—Ichigo smiled and started to write once more, humming as he did so, to create a tune.

Tapping his chin as he shook his head, Uryῡ decided that he would simply bring it up another time. Turning his head as he opened his mouth to speak, the archer blinked and his eyes widened momentarily, staring at the other in slight shock. "Wha—When did you get glasses, Kurosaki?"

Blinking as the other spoke, Ichigo glanced upwards as his hand stilled while he was writing. "What?" Sitting up slightly, Ichigo reached up to place the pencil behind his ear as he shrugged. "I suppose sometime after I moved from Karakura. I ended up writing and looking at sheet music a lot, I suppose it wrecked my eyesight." Giving the other a slight smile as he shrugged and looked up at Ishida, Ichigo sat back even further against the couch. "I only need them for reading. It's not like I am blind without them, like you." Smile turning into a slight smirk, Ichigo watched the other and laughed softly at the boy's reaction.

Eye twitching at the comment on his eyesight, Ishida folded his arms as he turned to face the other fully. Looking the other over, he noticed that the other had some slight changes over the years—his hair was a bit longer, although the spikes were as noticeable as ever. Sideburns etched the side of his cheeks and his body was a bit more athletic, rather than muscular. _There must not have been any hollows in America… _He mused, glancing back up at Ichigo's face. _I wonder if he had missed being around Shinigami after a while… _

Looking up at the other, Ichigo continued to watch the other as Ishida's eyes raked over him. He was probably seeing all the changed that had gone through Ichigo's body since they had last seen each other. He was only a bit taller though, and his hair a bit longer—that was all he could point out if anyone asked, anyways. Ishida looked the same though, except for his hair being swept behind his left ear, rather than the long bangs on both sides. Still as pale as ever, but it suited him nonetheless. Actually, if Ichigo thought about it—he was glad the other didn't change much. He rather liked the sense of familiarity that he missed in America, when he didn't get to see his friends. Reaching over his shoulder, Ichigo removed the guitar strap from around his neck as he set the instrument beside him carefully on the plush cushions of the couch. Shifting so that he was cross legged, he continued to look up at the Quincy as the other continued to stand and tilted his head. "So what have you been up to since I left? You're the only one who stayed in Karakura, right? Except for Inoue, I think." Furrowing his brows as he racked his brain, he couldn't recall if Orihime's bakery job was out of region or not.

Blinking as the other spoke, Ishida's eyes focused as they snapped out of their dazed-like state and he looked back down at the other's face. Getting a nervous feeling from inside of his chest as the other asked his question, he glanced away slightly as he moved to sit on the edge of the coffee table. "Yes… Inoue-San had planned to stay here, but then her and Hirako-San got together and—"

Sitting up abruptly, Ichigo blinked as he interrupted the other man. "Inoue and who?"

Brows furrowing slightly as he was cut off, Ishida smiled a bit at the other's reaction. "Inoue-San and Hirako-San… Hirako, Shinji." In an odd way, Ishida was glad to see the other react in such a way. In fact, he had done the same thing too, however with a little more poise. (If you count strangling Shinji and yelling at him not to touch Inoue 'inappropriately' as being poise… then yes.) Shifting his weight on the table, Ishida crossed one leg over the other as he leaned back a bit, and placed a hand behind him to support his weight. As he watched the familiar scowl form on the man in front of him's face, he chuckled softly and closed his eyes, reaching up with his other hand to adjust his glasses.

Ichigo really couldn't believe it. Apparently, Inoue's taste had changed a lot since he had left. Not too long before graduation, she had told him that she loved him, and that she loved him for years—but Ichigo had turned her down. Now, he wasn't an asshole about it though, no. He was actually quite calm and polite. She deserved the truth as to why he didn't return her feelings, and actually—she was the only one he really told about him liking men at the time. Now, he realized he wasn't gay, but 'bisexual' or 'pansexual', seeing as he really didn't have a preference for either gender, he really only went by personality. But back then, he had thought he was gay because he had a crush on… Well, the man in front of him. "Didn't think they would ever end up together…" Ichigo spoke more to himself, than to the other. Shaking his head lightly, he looked back to the man across from him as he gave a slight smile. "But as long as she is happy, that's all that matters—right?"

Nodding as the other spoke, Ishida placed a hand on his lap as he continued to stare in the other's direction. "Sado-Kun is still… around, I suppose. Although he leaves quite often when he has to fly people around the world. It's truly remarkable how he learned to fly a plane so quickly." Murmuring softly, Ishida shook his head as a slight smile graced his features. "I haven't heard from Kuchiki-San or the others in quite some time, but I assume they are all doing well, for I feel their reiatsu come and go from time to time, when hollows appear."

Leaning so that his arm was on the armrest, his legs still crossed as his other hand was draped over his knee, Ichigo frowned slightly. "So it seems like you've been alone for a while, huh?" Now that Ichigo thought about it, he did remember that last day before he had left for America. Even though it kind of hurt back then, he tried his best to ignore it—labelling it simply as another 'Quincy pride' thing. Although, he had gone to Ishida to wish him luck, because he knew for the most part—the raven haired boy would be alone, or surrounded by Shinigami. Both of which weren't necessarily good for the other. Even though Ishida seemed antisocial and silent, if you really got to know him, you could tell he was better off in a small group of people—rather than a lot, or no one. But, since he had a thing for Ishida back then—it had hurt more than he would ever admit, seeing as the man told him they weren't even friends, let alone that he cared about saying good bye. Despite all that though, Ichigo still regretted not staying a bit longer and waiting until the other cooled down so that they could have one last, rational conversation.

Shrugging, Ishida glanced at the floor as he shifted once more on the table, where he sat. "I suppose. But I've been better off now than I have back in high school. It's not like I'm completely lost without all of you; I have made more friends and such, so everything turned out fine." Feeling as though that wasn't completely true, Uryῡ glanced at the other slightly to see the slight frown grace the other's features. Sighing in defeat, he supposed some of that guilt from earlier was settling back in as he continued. "Although, I suppose it is nice to see a familiar face again."

Head tilting upwards as the last few words escaped the other's lips, Ichigo's face slowly lit up as he smiled. "Yeah?" Shifting as he grew more comfortable, Ichigo tilted his head as the next few words escaped him. "So how have you been doing aside from all that? Find yourself a nice girlfriend?" Chuckling, his eyes closed as he leaned back a bit further against the couch.

Blinking, Ishida's eyes widened slightly as he looked up at the other. "A-Ah… No, I do not have a girlfriend." Sitting up slightly, Ishida rubbed the side of his arm as he glanced at the floor. Standing abruptly so that there would be no more questions, Uryῡ made his way into the kitchen as he mumbled slightly. "So why are you here, Kurosaki? I thought you had gone to America to do something of the sort."

Startled as the other stood, Ichigo's head tilted and he stood as well, following after the other. "Yeah." Furrowing his brows a bit, he glanced at the wall as he stepped into the kitchen. "I had originally went to America to become a musician… But..." Frowning, Ichigo let out a soft breath as his eyes saddened. "Dad called… Apparently Yuzu's very sick. I figured a change in occupation was in order. I wanted to do be able to stay close to her as I do as much as I can to help." Mumbling softly, Ichigo's gaze travelled to the archer as he gave a weak smile.

Frowning, Ishida's eyes gave a sympathetic look as he glanced at the other man. Letting out a small sigh, he leaned against the counter as he turned around, placing his hands behind him to lightly grip the counter behind him. "Have you… Seen her yet? Your sister, that is."

Looking up at Ishida as the other spoke, Ichigo shook his head. "No, I just arrived yesterday. I stayed the night at the airport and then made my way here this morning." Mumbling softly, he leaned against the wall as he reached up and ran a hand through his hair. "I was going to go see her today, but I have to make my schedule at three… I wouldn't have enough time. Maybe after…"

Blinking, azure irises gazed at the other before a small smile spread across the archers lips. "You know, I happen to be in well with this school." Muttering something under his breath about Ryuken bragging when he entered—he shook his head and walked over to the other. "If you want, I can drive you over if she is staying in Ryuken's hospital. That is where we have some of our classes anyways, to learn. I could always speak with the office and get your schedule when we return. It would be much easier seeing as you arrived after classes had already begun." Really, if Ishida thought about it—he was only making up excuses. Although they did make sense on some levels; he knew he was trying to secretly compensate for that day three years ago. That, and if he thought about it—Kurosaki really was his friend, and he knew how important this was to him…

Watching as Uryῡ stepped closer, his eyes widened slightly before he stood up a bit straighter. "You can do that?" Smiling once more, he reached up to wrap an arm around the Quincy's shoulders, jerking him forward as he pulled him close. "Thank you, Ishida. You don't know how much that means to me."

Letting out a small noise as he was suddenly dragged forward, Ishida looked up at the other with furrowed brows, before his features soften at seeing the other's smile. Standing up a bit more, he shuffled a bit before releasing himself from the others' grip and smoothing out his shirt, before fixing his hair as well. Glancing at the other, he opened the kitchen door and stepped back into the living room as he let out a breath and relaxed his shoulders. "Would you like to head over now then, Kurosaki?"

Chuckling slightly as he watched the Quincy fix himself, he shifted on his feet and placed his hands behind his back. Still smiling as he began to follow the archer out of the kitchen, Ichigo nodded as he spoke quietly. "Yeah… I'd like to know how she's doing. Dad seemed pretty serious on the phone, even though he only told me she was very sick…" Furrowing his brows slightly, he glanced at the floor as he murmured. "I hope it's not anything too serious… But with my dad sounding how he did…" Looking up at the other as he gave a forced smile, he shrugged. "It has to be something pretty big, huh?"

Frowning, Ishida made his way to the door, stopping once he got there to turn around and look at the other. "Don't worry about it, Kurosaki. I'm sure it's nothing." Leaning down as he put his shoes on, he gave the other a reassuring look as he tried to think things through in his mind. After all—if Isshin was serious about it, it couldn't exactly be classified as 'nothing' or a 'common cold'. "And even if it isn't—it's Yuzu. She's too sweet to have anything too bad happen to her, Kurosaki."

Chuckling softly as the other spoke, Ichigo stepped into his own shoes as he looked down at the other. "Yeah, that's true." Smiling softly, he waited for the other to stand as he grabbed his jacket off of a nearby chair, where he had set it when he entered the small dorm—before speaking once more. "Thanks again, Ishida… You really don't have to do all this."

Shifting slightly, Ishida's cheeks heated up as he grabbed his jacket. Looking down to hide his flustered expression, he shrugged his jacket on before looking up at the other, clearing his throat as he adjusted his glasses. "It's nothing, Kurosaki. Besides—I care for Yuzu too; she is sort of like a sister to everyone. I'm actually surprised Ryuken never mentioned anything to me, now that I think about it…" Stilling slightly, Ishida shook his head to get rid of the thought, before reaching down to open the door. Stepping out and into the hall, he waited as Ichigo followed before closing the door and locking it; shoving the key into his pocket afterwards.

Smiling, Ichigo followed the other out of the room as he watched the man shut the door and lock it. "Maybe Ryuken was busy? He does own the hospital, so it wouldn't be a surprise if he had other patients to attend to." Reaching up to rub the back of his neck, he began to walk as he made his way towards the elevator. "And maybe he knew about Yuzu and it really isn't that big, so he didn't bother to tell you?" Furrowing his brows, Ichigo just became more confused as he thought more about the subject. What would be so big as to have his dad phone him long distance from Japan—to America, be big enough to make him come home, even though he wasn't told what it was; but not so big as to that, even Ishida wasn't told, even though he was in the area? It didn't make sense really, if he thought about it.

"Perhaps. Ryuken does live at the hospital due to the amount of patients—rather than going home half of the time." Ishida had realized this after he had gone to visit the man on the holidays—simply to give him something for the hospital, only to find out that he was working that day as well. He hadn't realized how many people were injured or in need of hospital care. It was scary sometimes to see how many people were ill. Stepping up to the elevator, Ishida pressed the button and was surprised to see it immediately open. Walking into the elevator, he moved aside to allow the other room to enter as well—before pressing the button that would lead them towards the basement, where his car was parked.

Nodding, Ichigo walked in with the other—watching as the elevator doors closed in front of him. Leaning back against the railing, he let out a soft sigh as he reached up and ran his fingers through his hair slightly. "I guess we won't know until we get there." He murmured softly, glancing down at Ishida from the corner of his eye. It was best to not worry and relax a bit, he mused—rather than get all anxious and worried. Who knows—maybe it was really nothing and his father simply had an odd way of showing that he missed him? Either way, Ichigo was alright with changing careers at the moment anyways, with what had happened not too long ago, before he had moved back to Japan from America.

Nodding slightly as Ichigo spoke, Ishida remained silent for the duration of their elevator ride. He knew that, despite the horrible feeling he was getting—that even if Yuzu was very sick, they could always call upon Inoue; despite the fact that she lived very far away. It may be 'cheating' or something of the sorts, but Ishida figured that they wouldn't mind. Sighing softly, he closed his eyes momentarily as he rubbed them from beneath his glasses, only opening his eyes once more as the elevators opened and the small booth came to a stop. Stepping out slowly in front of the other, so he could lead him in the proper direction of his car, he smiled as he saw his light blue Toyota Prius—walking over to the small car as he took out his key.

Blinking as the approached the small vehicle, Ichigo let out a small chuckle at the color and its size. "For some reason, why could I picture you in this—before you even showed it to me?" Stepping around to the passenger side, he waited for the other to unlock his own door, before entering the car to unlock the other side for him.

Raising an eyebrow, Ishida sat inside the car as he spoke—leaving his door open for a moment. "I don't know what you're talking about, Kurosaki." Leaning over to unlock the passenger side, Ishida moved his feet into the car as he shut the door behind them. Reaching over to put his seatbelt on—even though it wasn't even a five minute drive to the hospital from where they were, he placed the key into the ignition as he waited for the other to enter, so that they could leave.

Smiling as his door was unlocked; a small chuckle escaped the orange haired man as he sat inside and shut the door afterwards. Doing the same as the other, he put his seatbelt on before looking over at the archer, wondering when exactly had he learned how to drive. "Right." Answering the other as he sat back a bit, he relaxed his shoulders as he felt the cool breeze from the air conditioner hit his face.

Starting the car, Ishida gave the other one more glance before pulling out of his parking space and making his way onto the road—heading in the direction of the hospital. Allowing the small area to drift into silence, he relaxed as well, both of his hands on the steering wheel as he looked out the front window. It wouldn't be long until they got there, and then the both of them could stop worrying—well, mainly Ichigo.

Watching as they drove by the school on their way to the hospital, Ichigo glanced back over at the other male in the car as he allowed a soft breath to escape his lips. Seeing Karakura pass by in the window, a small smile stretched across the orange haired Shinigami's mouth as he took in the sights of his home town. Three years without visiting really was too much, but he was simply too busy to come and visit. He had intended to, actually—last summer. But with what had happened between him and his ex… He was actually quite happy to get the call from his father, but with knowing that something was wrong with Yuzu, now—he couldn't help but blame himself for wanting an excuse to come home. It was almost as if he had jinxed his younger sister by wanting to return to Karakura; but he knew deep down, that this wasn't something he should be blaming himself for. Even if he couldn't help it…

A not so long, four minutes later—Ishida pulled into the hospital's driveway, muttering softly as he had to pay a toll to park his car. That was Ryuken for you—a cheap bastard who wanted money. Shaking his head, he unhooked his seatbelt, shifting as he removed the key from the ignition and placed it into his pocket. Glancing over at the other teen, Ishida noticed how his posture had changed from when they had first started driving. It almost seemed as if it were the same way he would stand when he defeated an enemy—but knew deep down that he didn't win. Or perhaps when he accomplished something, but felt a bit of guilt, knowing that the problem had been something he had started. Furrowing his brows slightly, Ishida reached up to adjust his glasses, unlocking his door as he spoke quietly. "We are here, Kurosaki." Reaching forward, he slowly placed a hand on the others' shoulder as he nudged him from the dream-like state he seemed to be in.

Blinking, Ichigo glanced at the other as his shoulder was shook, sitting up further in his seat as he glanced out the window. Seeing the familiar parking area of the Karakura general hospital, his brows creased slightly. _I didn't think I was that deep in thought… _Shaking his head, he looked back to the raven haired man as he reached down to remove his seatbelt. Opening his door, he watched as Uryῡ gave him a slight glance, only to step out of the driver side as he stood. Bending in to lock the door, Ichigo shut it afterwards and walked around the front of the car—making his way over to stand beside Ishida as he gestured for the other to walk ahead of him.

Stepping up to the automatic doors as Ichigo began to walk with him, he kept an eye on the orange haired man as he silently mustered up what was bothering the other. Although, it was probably an easy guess, considering they were here to visit his ill sister in the first place. Shaking his head slightly as the doors opened for them, he stepped into the air-conditioned hospital as a soft sigh escaped his lips; glancing around for a familiar face as he searched for either Ryuken or Isshin—not really caring which one he would find first.

Looking around the hospital, Ichigo eyed a little girl in a wheelchair and gave her a small smile. Watching as she waved, he waved back—wondering how such a small girl could become handicapped like that. It didn't seem… Fair.

Walking up to the reception desk, Ishida leaned over it slightly. Opening his mouth to speak with one of the nurses, he blinked as he felt the familiar reiatsu approach and reached up to adjust his glasses, leaning back as he eyed the other man. Slowly, sweat rolled down his temple as he looked at Ichigo—opening his mouth to warn the other man—only to be interrupted by a loud…

"ICHIIIIGOOOO~"

Blinking, Ichigo's eyes widened as he heard his name being called. Turning around quickly—he moved to lift his foot and kick the other in the face; only to be a bit too late as he was tackled to the ground with the older male on top of him. "G-Get off of me, you old man!"

Watching the two struggle, a small chuckle escaped the archer's lips as he folded his arms and leaned back against the wall. Hearing the 'let your father love you!' and the 'like hell I will's', Ishida couldn't help but shake his head and smile as he watched the two Kurosaki's interact. However, the smile was short lived as he felt the familiar reiatsu of the elder Ishida approach, and his brows furrowed slightly as he looked up at the white haired man. They stood quietly for a moment, both of their gazes drifting to each other—and then back to the two men on the floor before they both shook their heads and stepped up to stop the bickering.

"Kurosaki, this is a hospital and you are a doctor. I think it's time you start behaving like one." Brows furrowed as sky blue irises glared at the older of the two Shinigami; Pulling the brunette up by the neck of his shirt as he reached up to adjust his glasses.

Reaching down as the eldest of the Kurosaki's was lifted off the ground, Ishida extended his arm out for the other one. Watching as Ichigo grasped it, he gently tugged—pulling the orange haired teen to his feet as he took a few steps back. Allowing his hand to drop to his side as the other was standing on his own; Ishida glanced to the older of the two men as he stepped out of someone's way as they passed by. Interrupting the two doctors as they themselves began to argue—Ishida stepped in between them as he shifted a bit. "Stop it, the both of you. You're acting like children." Reaching up to push his glasses up the bridge of his nose, Uryῡ gestured to the other as he folded his arms. "We came here for a reason, you know? Not just for some pointless arguing and a bit of conversation."

Standing in front of the three as he watched the youngest Quincy step in between the two, Ichigo gave a slight smile and nodded as the attention was directed at him. "We came to see Yuzu. You said she was sick, right?" Frowning slightly, Ichigo shifted on his feet as he reached up to rub the side of his arm. "It isn't that bad, is it? I mean… She is staying overnights at the hospital though…" Mumbling softly, Ichigo glanced up from beneath his hair as it fell over his eyes. Watching as his dad smiled slightly, he slowly began to smile as well, only to blink as the other's beeper went off.

"Shit." Running off quickly, a pained look graced the elder Kurosaki's features as he left the crowd and made his way to the other room—without time to even answer the others words.

A worried look began to spread across Ichigo's face and he took a step forward, only to be stopped by the hand of the older Quincy.

"Kurosaki, which room number are you being paged to?"

A loud, yet slightly off voice hollered back to the other man as the spiky haired, Shinigami father ran out of site. "3B."

Ichigo blinked and furrowed his brows, a slight scowl showing on his face as he heard his father talk. Looking up at the white haired man, he watched as the archer's jaw clenched and his hand slowly slipped from where it was held up—stopping Ichigo from walking any further. "What's in 3B?" He asked, his head tilted slightly as his hands clenched at his sides; he was slightly confused and he wanted to know what was going on all of a sudden.

The man remained silent for a bit longer, listening as the younger boy spoke before glancing down at the boy. "Your sister's in that room." His voice was monotone, his eyes staring down at the other—for some reason they seemed intimidating.

Blinking, Ichigo's furrowed brows raised slightly as he felt his heart still for a moment. "Yuzu?" Taking a couple steps forward, Ichigo picked up his pace—walking quickly as he attempted to fallow his father's spiritual pressure—only to be stopped once more by a hand, his brows creasing as he pulled back a bit. "What's your problem? Why do you keep stopping me?"

Watching the other carefully, Ishida frowned. Stepping back a bit and walking around the two, Uryῡ glanced worriedly as well as he looked to the elder man's face. "What's happening, Ryuken? Why can't Kurosaki go check up on his sister?" Voice remaining quiet, despite the fact that he was slightly irritated—he watched as the man glanced down at him, his eyes becoming slightly sad. A bit shocked at the other's reaction, Ishida's teeth grind slightly as he closed his eyes. It was something bad, wasn't it?

Looking between the elder Quincy and the younger one, Ichigo only grew more frustrated as each second went by. Moving once more to walk around the two, he felt the hand stop him again and pushed lightly, removing Ryuken's hand from his shirt as he stood in front of the two. "What the hell is going on?" He didn't mean to yell, but with the looks the other two were giving each other, the silence aside from his own words and soft murmurs of other patients—and he even felt himself go pale as he watched nurses run in the same direction his father had as they made their way to another room.

"Kurosaki Ichigo…" Speaking quietly, a soft sigh escaped the older man's lips as he shook his head. Turning to look at the other fully, Ryuken furrowed his brows slightly as he placed a hand into his pocket. "I assume, knowing your father—he only told you that your sister was very ill. Although, I should respect his wishes of not wanting to worry you—you really do deserve to know, and since he is taking care of your sibling now like any father would, I shall tell you." Closing his eyes, the older Quincy turned silent for a moment before speaking. "We do not know what she has. All we know is that it is very serious—at the moment, she is most likely either going into cardiac arrest, or is throwing up blood again, as she was the last time." Frowning, he opened his eyes to look at the other male as he finished speaking. "But we are doing our best to figure out what it is, so that we can cure it."

Ichigo stared. They… They didn't know what she had? Scowling, Ichigo's brows furrowed deeply as he took a few steps back. "How the hell do you _not _know what she has? You're doctors for goodness sakes! It shouldn't be that hard!" A sharp pain shot through Ichigo's chest as he realized the other had said coughing up blood, and cardiac arrest. It was much, **much **more serious than his dad had even sounded—and he didn't think that was even a possibility. Shaking his head, Ichigo backed up even more, yelling slightly as he grew anxious. "So what on earth are you just standing here for? You're the owner of the hospital here—the smartest doctor—go do something!"

Furrowing his brows, Ryuken frowned once more as he took a step forward and adjusted his glasses. "I'm afraid I cannot do that. For one, I do not know what she has—and two, I had promised that father of yours that I would not help unless asked to do so?" Not even commenting on the fact that they did not know what she had, the white haired man glared slightly. "Calm down, Kurosaki. I know this is hard for you to hear, but you can't be this loud—it is a hospital after all." Turning to the silent boy who was watching the entire ordeal, Ryuken spoke in the same cold tone as he did to the other. "Take him home, Uryῡ- before he gets too out of hand and tries to destroy my hospital."

Glaring at how the other spoke to the both of them, Ichigo quickly stomped forward. "Is that all you're worried about? Your damn hospital?" Pushing the older Ishida, if only slightly—the orange haired boy glared as he made his way around the eldest of the archers. As a nurse began to walk by—Ichigo didn't know why he did this, but he did. Taking hold of the cart she had been pushing—he flipped it over as he pushed it out of her grasp—his jaw clenching as well as his fists as he closed his eyes and turned his head to look over his shoulder at the other man. "Is that something you're worried about? Is that more important than my sister?" Lunging forward, Ichigo felt himself getting out of hand. Thankfully enough—strong, pale hands pushed at his chest as the younger Quincy finally stepped in, stopping Ichigo from doing anything else.

"Kurosaki." Ishida spoke—his tone strong, yet soft. Holding the man back, he waited until the other stopped moving to glance around the hospital—looking at the small crowd that had gathered there to watch them. Looking over his shoulder, Ishida furrowed his brows as he glared at his father—azure irises hard as he shook his head. "Don't worry about your hospital, Ryuken. I apologize for Kurosaki getting out of hand—but I assure you, nothing else will happen." Stepping around the orange haired Shinigami as he made his way for the door, he grasped Ichigo's hand as he began to drag him with him. Feeling the man beside him tense, Ishida's eyes saddened slightly before he allowed his eyes to slip close—making his way out of the hospital as fast as he could with the other, in hopes nothing else would happen. It was most likely a bad idea to take Ichigo here, when he should have waited longer. But, he supposed that the other needed to know—even if it was so early, seeing as the other just came back. Shaking his head once more, a soft breath escaped the archer's lips as he led the other to his car—knowing that once he got the other back to the dorms, he could cheer him up.

-X-

Making his way into the room as they stepped out of the hallway—Ishida grew worried as he watched Ichigo step into what would be his new home. After they had exited the hospital—Ichigo had been silent the entire car ride. Even when Ishida tried to change the subject from what was most likely on the other's mind—he only got simply answers. And when he had tried to pry for more, Ichigo even apologized—which was not something he wanted. No, he didn't want to make Ichigo feel any worse than he already was at the moment. In fact, he wished there was something he could do to make the other feel better. Making his way towards his room, Ishida's frown deepened as he watched the Shinigami walk slowly to the couch and sit down. "Kurosaki…" He spoke softly, watching as the boy glanced at him silently, not speaking. Shaking his head, he waved a hand as a small 'never mind' escaped his lips. Moving into the bedroom, Ishida looked around for some clothes to change into, before heading to bed early.

However, hearing the soft, light sound of the other's guitar as the man began to play, Ishida looked up as he adjusted his glasses and pulled his shirt further down his chest. Gently opening his bedroom door, he stuck his head out to listen to the music—his expression softening as he heard the other sing some soft, sad lyrics.

He hadn't heard the song before—but he could tell it was most likely an original. Walking into the hallway of the small dorm room, Ishida glanced around the corner and peeked out at the other slightly. He felt stupid for eavesdropping, but for some reason—he thought that the other wouldn't mind if he knew. Despite the fact that the song sounded personal, and the strumming on the guitar became slower, Ishida could feel something change about the other's aura as he played. Looking at Ichigo's hand as it moved along the neck of the guitar—and then glancing at the other's face—Ishida's eyes widened.

Slowly, a tear made its way down a tanned cheek as a soft sob escaped the other as his hands stilled—the lyrics still escaping Ichigo's trembled lips as he attempted to start up the music again. For some reason, Ishida could feel something urging him closer to the other—pulling him forward. Hands releasing from the light balls they were clenched into, Ishida slowly stepped forward as he made his way into the living room. The other never looked up at him, nor did they acknowledge his presence—but he could tell Ichigo felt him coming closer. Reaching the other, Ishida stood in front of him—watching as the other's head slowly tilted upwards and tear dampened cheeks, along with slightly wet eyes looked up at him.

"Ichigo…" Hearing his own name must have set him off. Watching as Ichigo began to cry a bit more, Ishida allowed his urges to take hold of him as he quickly stepped forward and kneeled on the couch; wrapping his arms around Ichigo. Holding the man as he cried into the Quincy's shoulder's, Ishida could care less about the arms wrapping around his waist, or the tears drenching his shirt as he moved his hand through Ichigo's hair—keeping the other's head on his shoulder as he began to rock back and forth slightly. Not speaking any words, or loosening his grip—the two remained in that position for quite some time before Ichigo had finally calmed down. However, when he finally did, and Ichigo pulled away, Ishida slid his palm along Ichigo's cheek as he whipped the tears away. No words were spoken as they both sat back against the couch—no words really needed to be said. However, as Ishida noticed the other man drifting off to sleep—his eyes softened once more and he slowly reached down. Grasping Ichigo's hand—he held it as he simply watched the other. Never leaving his side until the next morning, after waking up and realizing that he had fallen asleep as well.

-X-

To be continued.


End file.
